Dehydrated Skin

Deydrated skin lacks moisture. It may flake, itch and be easily irritated and feel tight after washing it, especially after cleansing with soap or harsh cleansers. Moisture deprived skin looks older because the absence accentuates fine lines and wrinkles.

Causes

Skin becomes dehydrated when it loses too much water to the outside environment. This can come from external factors that cause water loss such as extremes in temperatures or dry air. People who live in a dry climate or in a home with low humidity often lose excess water through their skin, especially in the winter.

Treatments

They key to treating this common skin problem is to help skin hold on to more water. A humidifier, short showers, and avoiding sun exposure will help. Moisturizers provide skin with an additional barrier that reduces water loss. Some moisturizers called humectants draw water from the environment to moisten the skin. Always check with your dermatologist.